Abstract: A magnetic storage system includes a magnetic storage medium comprising a keeper layer of relatively low permeability soft magnetic material deposited upon a magnetic storage layer or between multiple magnetic storage layers. The low permeability keeper layer may be disposed either above or below the magnetic storage layer. In the unsaturated state, the keeper layer acts as a shunt path for flux emanating from recorded transitions on the magnetic storage layer, producing an image field of the recorded transitions in the keeper. This shunt path prevents signal flux emanating from the recorded transitions from reaching the head. To read data from a recorded transition on the magnetic storage layer; a bias current is applied to windings of the head, creating a bias flux which saturates a portion of the keeper layer. Once saturated, this portion of the keeper can no longer shunt flux emanating from the recorded transition, which is the region represented by the head reproduce transducer.

Abstract: A magnetic storage system is disclosed that includes a magnetic storage layer associated with a soft magnetic saturable keeper layer. A transducer is spaced from the storage layer and the keeper layer in flying relationship thereto, with an MR element contained therein to provide high sensitivity detection along with the reduced spacing loss available from the keepered storage layer.

Abstract: The flexible, particulate magnetic storage medium includes a substrate and a magnetic storage layer of hard magnetic particles held within a binder. The flexible, particulate magnetic storage medium also includes a soft magnetic keeper layer. The soft magnetic keeper layer may be established by coating the individual hard magnetic particles of the magnetic storage layer with a layer of soft magnetic material to establish a "keeper layer" around each particle. A break layer of non-magnetic material may be provided between the hard and soft layers. The individual particles are coated by methods such as in situ precipitation. The soft magnetic layer may also be established by providing a separate layer of soft magnetic material within a binder of cross linkable resins. The resulting flexible, particulate magnetic storage medium is a laminate principally comprising a substrate, a first layer of hard magnetic particles within a binder, and a second layer of soft magnetic particles also within a binder.

Abstract: A magnetic storage system includes a magnetic storage medium comprising a keeper layer of relatively low permeability soft magnetic material deposited upon a magnetic storage layer or between multiple magnetic storage layers. The low permeability keeper layer may be disposed either above or below the magnetic storage layer. In the unsaturated state, the keeper layer acts as a shunt path for flux emanating from recorded transitions on the magnetic storage layer, producing an image field of the recorded transitions in the keeper. This shunt path prevents signal flux emanating from the recorded transitions from reaching the head. To read data from a recorded transition on the magnetic storage layer, a bias current is applied to windings of the head, creating a bias flux which saturates a portion of the keeper layer. Once saturated, this portion of the keeper can no longer shunt flux emanating from the recorded transition, which is the region represented by the head reproduce transducer.

Abstract: A magnetic transducer is batch fabricated from a pair of confronting elongate composite block substrates each formed of a thin cap of non-magnetic material bonded to a much larger block of magnetic material, such as ferrite. An intermediate winding groove is formed in proximate relation to the non-magnetic material along the length of one or both composite block substrates. One (or both) of the substrates is provided with a plurality of parallel spaced V-shaped grooves oriented in a direction perpendicular to the winding groove, wherein adjacent grooves form therebetween track width defining lands. A core layer of high permeability magnetic material, such as Alfesil material, is deposited over the edges whereby magnetic poles are formed of the edges. A gap layer of insulating material is deposited on the edges over the high permeability magnetic material. Two of the composite block substrates are placed with the edges in aligned abutting relation and are assembled by glass bonding.

Abstract: A head having very low leakage flux loss since the head is constructed with a very small elongate magnetic intercore, having a winding window formed therein if desired, with the intercore being supported on either side by non-magnetic side support blocks. The side support blocks enable mounting of the head to the usual style of head block and provide the physical structure and size necessary for formation of a low wear head profile, if desired.

Abstract: An improved magnetic head obviates the need for separate read and write heads in a magnetic storage system by providing a head core having two physical gaps configured to generate a reproduce track width that is narrower than a record track width. The core of the head comprises a tapered center pole disposed between two generally symmetrical main poles to form physical record and reproduce gaps. A magnetically saturable, high permeability element is disposed within the core in a manner that bridges the rear of the record gap.

Abstract: In a recorder/reproducer apparatus, a scanning magnetic transducer for the magnetic recording and reproducing of a data signal in a magnetic storage medium. The transducer includes one or more elongate main pole segments embedded in the periphery of a rotary drum and oriented at an angle relative to the drum's axis of rotation. An elongate stationary pole with an electromagnetic winding coupled to the data signal is spaced from the drum and oriented generally parallel to the axis of rotation. A magnetic tape is transported between the two poles in contact with the main pole segments on the drum and spaced from the stationary pole. Rotation of the drum during recording and/or playback causes the area of intersection, that is, the opposed common area or confronting face portions, of the stationary pole and each of the successive main pole segments to be moved or scanned along the face of the stationary pole.

Abstract: A magnetic transducer for reproducing/recording high frequency signals with a magnetic tape medium includes a pair of opposed transducer head halves separated by an insulation gap and bonded together to form a Y-shaped pole structure, each half including a laminated at least partially ferromagnetic core portion bounded on opposite surfaces with outer and inner conductive layers, each of which forms a winding coil portion. Each core section has a leg portion and an angularly disposed arm portion, the distal end of which is capped with a block-shaped ferromagnetic pole tip in magnetic path relation therewith, the two pole tips lying in a common plane transverse to the plane of the gap. The conductive layers, when conductively interconnected, such as by jumpers, form a one or two turn coil for the transducer.

Abstract: A magnetic transducer for reproducing/recording high frequency signals with a magnetic tape medium includes a pair of opposed transducer head halves separated by an insulation gap and bonded together to form a Y-shaped pole structure, each half including a laminated at least partially ferromagnetic core portion bounded on opposite surfaces with conductive layers, each of which forms a winding coil portion. Each core section is formed as one-half of a Y-shaped cross-sectional configuration having a leg portion and an angularly disposed arm portion, the distal end of which is capped with a block-shaped ferromagnetic pole tip in magnetic path relation therewith, the two pole tips lying in a common plane transverse to the plane of the gap. The conductive layers on the outer and inner surfaces of the laminated core section form outer and inner conductors which, when conductively interconnected, such as by jumpers, are configured to form a one or two turn coil for the transducer.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of an electromagnetically controlled scanning magnetic transducer is described having two confronting core poles defining a physical transducing gap therebetween. A control winding is associated with each core pole. A control current applied to each control winding selectively saturates a portion of each core pole facing a record medium. Each saturated face portion defines an adjacent unsaturated highly permeable face portion. The highly permeable face portions of each core pole overlap across the gap to define a transducing zone. The information signal and control windings are arranged relative to one another to obtain information signal and control flux paths extending perpendicular to one another.

Abstract: A magnetic transducer has a transducing gap that is wider than that used for transferring information signals with respect to a magnetic record medium. A magnetic control flux is applied to the transducer to enable a selected segment of the transducing gap, which defines a transducing zone, for transferring information signals with respect to a selected path along the magnetic record medium. Registration of the transducing zone over the selected path is maintained by varying the applied magnetic control flux to thereby move the transducing zone along the wider transducing gap so as to compensate for deviations between the path traced by the transducing zone over the magnetic record medium and the selected path.

Abstract: An ultra small track width magnetic transducer and manufacturing method. The transducer has two coplanar confronting magnetic poles provided by a thin film layer of magnetic material. The thickness of the layer defines a track width. A transducing gap is etched in the magnetic layer by utilizing focused ion beam milling technology. The thusly obtained gap has a predetermined length and depth and it separates the magnetic layer into two confronting coplanar magnetic poles. A layer of non-magnetic material is deposited over the magnetic layer to fill the transducing gap. The transducing gap may be etched in a plane extending orthogonally to the plane of the magnetic core layer. Alternatively, the transducing gap plane may extend at an oblique angle to the magnetic core layer to obtain a transducing gap useful in aximuth recording/playback. A window in the magnetic layer interconnects conductor leads to form a transducer winding.

Abstract: Apparatus is described for coupling magnetic flux defining information between a first body of magnetic material and a second body of magnetic material having a magnetic flux path therein. A third body of magnetic material having a transducing zone is included and disposed to be magnetically proximate the first body of magnetic material to couple flux to or from the same, and to have a portion thereof magnetically proximate the magnetic flux path within the second body of magnetic material to provided coupling of flux to or from such flux path. In specific embodiments described, the first body of magnetic material is a magnetic storage medium such as a layer of hard magnetic material of a tape, and the second body of material is a transducer core of a soft magnetic material.

Abstract: A magnetic transducer arrangement includes a core with a gap and a body of magnetically anisotropic material in which a signal transfer region is defined. Control flux flows across the gap of the core and through the body in opposite directions. The two oppositely directed flux flows influence one another and tend to cancel each other to define a null zone. This null zone, in which the flow of control flux is very low, is sensitive to flux emanating from an adjacent magnetic storage medium and therefore defines the signal transfer region. By varying the relative proportions of control flux flowing in the opposite directions, the location of the null zone can be varied along the width of the magnetic transducer to thereby scan the signal transfer region. The flux which is coupled from the magnetic storage medium into the null zone of the body does not flow through the magnetic core in a manner similar to a fringing flux.

Abstract: An electromagnetically controlled scanning magnetic transducer has two magnetic core portions with confronting poles defining a transducing gap. A control winding is arranged in each core portion to provide a control flux therein. The control flux saturates a region of the transducer face of each core portion, adjacent to the gap. The saturated regions define adjacent unsaturated highly permeable regions which overlap at the gap to obtain a transducing zone. The transducing zone can be altered, moved, scanned or otherwise positioned along the transducer width by electromagnetically controlling the location and size of the saturated face regions.

Abstract: Structures of magnetic heads having superconducting shields are disclosed for spatially directing magnetic recording/playback fields. One embodiment is a thin film magnetic head with a layer of superconductor material associated with its throat. Further embodiments provide intertrack shielding and concentration of recording/playback fields into relatively small pole tip regions.

Abstract: Magnetic record media are described that have an overlying or underlying magnetically saturable high permeability keeper layer in addition to a high coervicity magnetic layer in which magnetic signals are stored. These media are used in magnetic signal processing devices whose transducers are capable of generating a keeper layer-saturating bias flux. In signal reproduction the bias flux magnetically forms a saturation zone in the nature of virtual gap in the keeper layer that directs signal flux between the media and the transducer.

Abstract: An ultra small track width magnetic transducer and manufacturing method. The transducer has two coplanar confronting magnetic poles provided by a thin film layer of magnetic material. The thickness of the layer defines a track width. A transducing gap is etched in the magnetic layer by utilizing focused ion beam milling technology. The thusly obtained gap has a predetermined length and depth and it separates the magnetic layer into two confronting coplaner magnetic poles. A layer of non-magnetic material is deposited over the magnetic layer to fill the transducing gap. The transducing gap may be etched in a plane extending orthogonally to the plane of the magnetic core layer. Alternatively, the transducing gap plane may extend at an oblique angle to the magnetic core layer to obtain a transducing gap useful in aszimuth recording/playback.

Abstract: Magnetic transducer-keeper combination embodiments of the invention are described. Each has a magnetic core defining a physical gap and a thin magnetic keeper arranged in close proximity of the core to bridge the gap. A magnetic flux from the gap saturates the keeper inan area bridging the gap, thereby forming a signal transducing zone in the keeper. The keeper is maintained stationary and the core moved or scanned with respect to the same, thereby moving or scanning the transducing zone in the keeper.